Disillusioned
by Faith1
Summary: Suffering from increasing pressures from family and friends Gohan finds an outlet for his turbulant emotions. Music.


All songs in this fic belong to the brilliant Reel Big Fish as does the title of the album, Cheer Up!, and a small section of the bands banter during the gig.

I don't own DBZ or any of its respective characters.

I also don't own Disillusioned, that is to say Kaneda, Rei, Ken, Akito and Yamato, they own me.

          I'm sick of this.  I'm sick of them.  I'm sick of being stuck in an eternal tug of war waged between by mother and my friends.  Scholar.  Warrior.  Scholar.  Warrior.  None of them every think to ask me what I want to do with my life.  I've been under constant pressure since I turned three.  No ignorant childhood for Son Gohan.  I grew up with complex algebra questions and death at every corner.  I don't train anymore.  I haven't fought since Majin Buu.  I don't intend to ever fight again.  The planet can find itself a new hero.  It's harder to avoid studying when your mother is Chichi, she doesn't take the word "no" lightly.  So I continue to play the studious mommies' boy, it's not like high school's a challenge.  I have a secret passion which has saved me from insanity over the last year.  Music.  I'm in a band.  That's right, the nerdy and yet all-powerful Gohan, is the lead singer in a band called Disillusioned.  We even have a record contract.  The dragon ball gang have no idea.  None of them follow music.  Not like we're that successful anyway.  We're recording our first album, it's coming along nicely.  The working title is "Cheer Up!", we thought it made a cool counterpoint to our depressing name.  Clever, ne?  I've even written a couple of the tracks!  

          I think I should clear a few points up.  I didn't form Disillusioned, in fact I was the last to join.  Kaneda, the lead guitarist, was going to do vocals although he didn't want to.  Then he and the others heard me sing in the music lesson and thought I sounded good.  So they asked if I'd be interested in joining them and played me some of their stuff. I was completely amazed.  I had never even heard music like that before, in all honesty I hadn't heard much of any music before, between saving the world and studying I'd never really had a chance.  Before I go on I should tell you a bit more about Disillusioned.

          Kaneda Daku, lead guitarist, back-up vocals and all around ladies man.  What he lacked in traditional good looks he more than made up for with his charm, charisma and the tuxedos he always wore on stage.  Personally I think that Kaneda's a major part of our success.  He is brilliant with our fans.  Somehow he manages to make each and everyone of them feel like he's their best friend.  Me?  I just blush and run away.

          Rei Mitsugi, bassist.  Rei is one of those people who never look the same for two days in a row.  Her hair is usually short and spiky but it changes colour by the week and you never know when she's going to come to a session with extensions down to her hips.  I swear on more than one occasion I've walked right past her and not recognised who it was.  Sometimes talking to Rei is like talking in code, she has an odd tendency to take words and making them mean something completely different.  It's hard to explain.  There's never a dull moment though.

          Kenji Aiso, drummer extraordinaire.  Sometimes, when we're not playing that is, I forget that Ken's sitting behind us.  I can never make up my mind whether he's just really quiet or permanently stoned.  Shock, horror!  Innocent little Gohan knows what "stoned" means.  I am in high school, you know?  Anyway, back to the subject at hand.  Ken may be quiet most of the time but once he starts to play he's a wild man, it's an amazing transformation.

          Akito Kusenagi, trombone player and all around nice guy.  Akito is one of those people who mothers love, do you know what I mean?  He's friendly, polite, eloquent and he also happens to have a massive crush on Rei, which remains unrequited.  Poor man.  It's quite sad, okay, I'm not fooling anyone, it's quite funny to see him flirt with her.

          Yamato Ikari, last but not least, trumpet player.  The best way to describe Yama is as a bisexual version of Kaneda.  He is a relentless tease and all around horny teenager.  I have to admit it does add some appeal to our gigs when our resident sexual demon is a wee bit tipsy and trying to get it on with any band member who doesn't shove him away quick enough.  Well at least the crowd love it.  

          Don't ask me what genre we fit into, I have no idea.  Like I said before this thing got started I wasn't really into music.  Everyone seems to have their own opinion of what little niche we belong to.  Our brass section says we're ska.  Rei is adamant that we are rock.  Kaneda grudgingly admits that we could be classed as pop.  Ken says we're an all-in-one.  I think I agree with Ken.  We have quite a unique style, or so I'm told, setting quite dark lyrics against a cheerful, melodic background.  I think it works quite well.  

          I'm completely in love with Disillusioned.  Everything from the fun of our jamming sessions and the frustration of writing lyrics, to the amazing natural buzz that can only be achieved in the instant you finish a song and an audience bursts into cheers.  Our songs cover a variety of subjects and all of us have written at least one track.  Me?  I've written the lyrics to three and helped with the music to one of them.  

          Somebody loved me.  I wrote that in the middle of my English class.  It was just after my relationship with Videl came to a disastrous end and I could hear her, Shraper and Erasa giggling about me behind my back.  It hurt.  I was so nervous when I showed it to the band.  But fortunately for me they loved it and immediately started suggesting how we could get it to work melodically.

          Drunk again.  The only ballad on the album.  I haven't had a peaceful night's sleep since I was three.  I have nightmares every single time I close my eyes.  Mostly they are about my dad; he died because of me.  Lots of people died because me.  One night I had a dream about my fight with Majin Buu after he had absorbed Piccolo.  Taunting me, blaming me and I couldn't deny it because it was all true.  I woke up with tears streaming down my cheeks and I knew I had to find a way of releasing the pain.  So I wrote.  Nearly everyone who's heard the song thinks that it's for Videl or some other girl I've dated, but it's not.  It's for my dad.

          I've gotta get going now or I'm going to be late.  I'll finish this up later.

Son Gohan.

*        *        *

          "Small youth!" an extremely loud and excited female voice yelled as Gohan entered the building.  A woman with electric pink and bright scarlet waist length braids bounced over to the dark haired hero.  "Go!  You look absolutely beautiful!" she exclaimed enthusiastically.  Gohan blushed at the compliment.  He was wearing a pair of black baggy jeans and a black shirt complete with a gaudy red, orange and yellow tie.  The girl grinned as an idea popped into her mind.  "I know what would make you look like an absolute crow!" Gohan paused for a minute, trying to remember exactly what crow meant, giving her the opportunity to quickly unbutton his shirt, revealing his well-toned flesh.  A wolf-whistle echoed around the room.

          "Lookin' fine there Go!" Yamato yelled from the balcony.  Gohan ignored the comment with a laugh and turned back to his fashion stylist.

          "You look pretty good yourself Rei!" he told her, earning an annoyed pout from her.  She was wearing a stripped pink and black top which had been fashioned from a pair of tights and as such clung to every curve.  It was also see-through, revealing her black corset underneath.  A black shawl was tied around her waist, concealing most of her over-large jeans.  

          "I look like an complete beastie," she announced.  Instantly Akito was at her side, his blue highlights flashing in the light as he moved.

          "Rei, my black rose, you look as ravishing as the Goddess of Love herself!" he gushed in an overly dramatic voice.  She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

          "Akito, my darling Prince charming, you smell as delectable as a pile of raw sewage on a warm summers day!"  Gohan burst into laughter as Rei marched off, leaving Akito momentarily stunned.

          "Oh she wants me!" He announced and gave chase.  Gohan grinned ruefully as he made his way over to Kaneda.  

          "Hey Go," the guitarist greeted as he saw him approach.  "Ya nervous?"  Tonight they were playing their first set in a local club called The Stage.  They were supporting so that meant they were on first.  Gohan adjusted the height of his microphone as his friend set up his amp.  

          "I'm always nervous before a gig," he admitted.  

          "You'll be fine," Ken commented quietly as he passed them carrying a part of his drum kit in each hand.  Gohan smiled his thanks for the support and helped Ken to set up.  A familiar bass line blared through the speaker system as Rei plugged in.  Kaneda carefully tuned his beloved instrument.  Akito pulled his trombone from its case just as a drum roll filled the air.  Ken was ready to go.  

          "Yamato get down here!" Kaneda yelled to the trumpet player who quickly ended his conversation with the female lead of the other band playing tonight and made his way downstairs with an exaggerated sigh.  He picked up the instrument and blasted out a hunting call.

          "Tally ho!" he yelled, causing the band to burst into laughter.

*        *        *

          " . . .Let's give it up for your very own, Disillusioned!" The band ran onto the stage to the applause of the audience.  Gohan's eyes widened as he surveyed The Stage.  It was a full house.  His momentary shock was washed away as Ken counted them in and suddenly the air sang with the beat of drums and the deep thrum of the bass guitar.  Kaneda's electric guitar roared to life creating a bouncy, upbeat rhythm as Gohan stepped up to the microphone to open the evening.

"You say you're down,

You can't lose that frown.

Life sucks!  What else is new?

That's tough!  There's not much you can do!

You're not the only one,

Not having any fun!"

          Gohan's voice was full of sarcasm and irony as the bitter lyrics lay over the joyful melody.  Rei had written the title track of their album after one of her girl friends bitched about how bad her life one too many times.  

"I've got a funny feeling

We're all born to lose.

And I've got a funny feeling

That this life ain't worth living!"

          The brass players acted as back-up vocalists on this piece as they didn't actually play anything.  Gohan fought against laughter as the two danced around the stage, yelling out the lyrics at appropriate moments.  

"I've got a funny feeling,

I've got a funny feeling,

I've got a funny feeling,

Cheer up!"

          The crowd burst into cheers at the abrupt and humorous end to the song.  Gohan felt the adrenaline sweep through his veins as the mass of people yelled out their approval.  Rei had a huge smile on her face as she enjoyed the reaction to her song.  

          "Thanks a lot!  We're Disillusioned, it's great to be here!" Gohan spoke to the crowd as Kaneda and Yamato stepped up their respective mikes.

          "This one – " Kaneda started.

          "I wanna say it!" Yama interrupted and was ignored.

          "Is for all – " 

          "I wanna say it!"

          "The suckers who still believe in love!"

          "Let me say it!" 

          "Shut up!"

"Let me say it!"

          "Oh fine!" Kaneda relented with an exaggerated sigh.  Yama grinned.

          "This – What do I say?" Kaneda groaned and the audience laughed as the brass section burst to life.

"Hey everybody, I got something to tell,

It's what I learned from relationship hell!

Lust turns to disgust, a heart of gold into rust,

A soft touch to a slap in the face!

It gets old, it goes away,"

          Gohan loved singing this song.  Kaneda had written both the music and lyrics to this one.  It was funny, melodic and depressing all at once.  The dark haired boy looked out over the crowd, spellbound as the brass launched into a solo and the audience began to move with the beat.

"This ones for all the suckers who still believe in love!

This ones for you!"

          As the song wound down Yamato elbowed Gohan out of the way and leaned into the mike.

          "Oh sugar-buns?" he spoke liltingly.

          "Yes?" Kaneda replied, drawing giggles from the onlookers.

          "This one is for all the suckers who still believe in love!"  The crowd cheered as the pair took a bow.

          The night went on in much the same vein.  Every song they did was well received and the on stage antics lent humour to the occasion.  Gohan always felt sad when it came to their last song.  He scanned the crowd and froze as a familiar shock of lavender hair caught his eye.  

*        *        *

          "Trunks!  We're gonna get so busted!" Goten whined as they stood in the queue outside The Stage waiting to be let in.  

          "Don't worry about it!" Trunks ordered.  "Just act natural and we'll be fine!"  Their school had been buzzing with rumours about this supposedly amazing local band who were playing tonight.  Unable to resist the two mischief makers had decided to check them out and had managed to sneak out and make their way to the venue, which wasn't really that much of a challenge when you could fly.  The crowd moved forwards as people filed in.  The two boys held their breath anxiously as the bouncers gave them the once over then allowed them to go inside.  Once there they took a position by the side wall and impatiently awaited the band.  When Disillusioned finally walked on stage the mouths of both boys dropped open.  Gohan strode confidently across the floor, dressed completely in black except for the bright tie which adorned his neck.  His shirt was open, giving a tantalising view of flesh to those who were that way inclined.  They watched in silence as his smooth voice filled the room.

          "I didn't even know he could sing," Goten's whisper was lost in the pulsing air.  

*        *        *

          Gohan stared at his younger brother and best friend in horror.  He was suddenly snapped out of his reverie by one of Kens' spare drumsticks hitting him soundly across the back of his skull.  Now that the band knew he was paying attention Kaneda, Rei and Ken began to play.  The melody which blared from the speakers was much more melancholic than any of their other songs.  Gohan had written this one himself.

"I've got big dreams but no self-esteem, you know?

I'd reach for the stars but I can't find my arms.

All this time we've accomplished so much,

Why can't I believe and why can't I just feel love?"

          Gohan refused to look at the two boys.  It was too personal, they weren't supposed to hear this song.  He had written it to all of the Z-senshi.

"Goin' away, leavin' today,

You've gotta find a brand new hero.

Goin' away, leavin' today,

You've gotta fin a brand new hero."

          Rei played a short solo, allowing the singer to regain his composure.  The spotlight focused on Gohan as he sung his heart and soul out.  

"I let you down when you're not around, you know?

I can't be trusted with anything.

All this time we've wanted so much

To just belong and why can't we just feel love?"

          Trunks watched, wide eyes shining with amazement.  He had always written Gohan off as a somewhat geeky, older brother figure.  But this was a whole new side to the Gohan he knew and the violet haired boy was in awe of the cool lead singer of a band.  Kaneda let lose with an amazing riff before dying down as Ken beat a primal rhythm on his drums leaving Gohan's voice exposed. 

"Always talking but I never say a lot,

And I'll blow it if I get another shot.

'Cus it seems like no matter what I've got,

It feels like it's nothing.

I feel like I'm nothing."

          There was an intense pause before the guitar began once more, brining the song back from the desolation in Gohan's voice.  Goten watched his brother with admiration and sympathy.  He could tell that his brother had written this song.  He caught Gohan's eye and smiled to show his support and encouragement.  Gohan got the message.

"Goin' away, leavin' today,

You've gotta find a brand new hero.

Goin' away, leavin' today,

You've gotta fin a brand new hero.

What will they say when I go away?

You gotta find a brand new hero,"

The trumpet and trombone rose up in harmony.

"Brand new hero,"

Kaneda and Rei stepped forward so the audience at the edge of the stage could touch their instruments.

"Brand new hero,"

Gohan added an extra flourish to his voice.

"Brand new hero."

Five more chords and the song was done.  The audience exploded into cheers and applause.  The band took a bow as the cheering continued.  Even Gohan's apprehension was swept away by the crowds' appreciation and a grin broke out on his face.  Yamato once again stole Gohan's mike and winked at the singer.  He turned to the crowd and spoke in a clear voice which cut through the roar.

          "Y'know at first when I heard this song, I thought, blech!  But now y'know . . .I really hate it!"  Laughter echoed through the room as the band turned and chased the loud-mouthed trumpet player off the stage.  Disillusioned were a hit.

The beginning.

R&R!


End file.
